Charges filed against 76-year-old man suspected of posing as attorney

The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s office has filed 12 counts of grand theft and nine counts of the unauthorized practice of law against a man suspected of posing as a lawyer in the Inland Empire.

Joseph Robert Lopez, Sr., 76, of Walnut Park was arrested on Feb. 27 and is currently in custody with bail set at $360,000, according to a news release from the District Attorney’s Office.

A court hearing to discuss bail is scheduled for March 24 in West Valley Superior Court in Rancho Cucamonga.

Investigators said Lopez acted as an attorney and offered to help people with bankruptcies, family law matters, immigration matters and civil and criminal representation, according to the news release. He allegedly targeted Spanish-speaking clients in San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Orange and Riverside counties.

“Lopez took money for these services which he could not deliver,”according to the news release. “Lopez is not, and never has been a licensed attorney.”

Authorities said there could be more victims in this case.

Anyone with information about Lopez can call the district attorney’s Consumer Protection Unit at 909-891-3330 or go to www.sbcountyda.org.